Thursday, March 29, 2007

Traveling along, knitting a sock ...

time after time ...

As I commute into work by train, I have the good fortune of being able to knit. A great way to work on a gift or socks right? That's what I'm thinking and right now it's a sock ... one that looks like the Painted Desert. The yarn is "Trekking pro natura" ... 75% New Wool and 25% bamboo.

But I'm also contemplating how strange it is to think I'm knitting with a yarn made with animal hair and plant fibers. In my past life as a crocheter I almost always used Acrylic. But it's the fact that now, in this life, it's the natural renewal fibers that I'm knitting with that makes me feel good. I'm loving the way it feels in my hands as I knit. And the fact that it's from a renewable source.

I'm more into recycling than I ever thought possible. I also like to use paper bags or reusable bags for my shopping. Plastic is made with petroleum and I'm all for getting away from petroleum products as much as possible, if I can. So I've decided to either ask for paper at the grocery store OR bring my own canvas bags from now on. I wish more Stores would consider promoting this.

Well ... that's just what was going thru my head today ... as well as the "Name My Teacozy" contest. Which isn't even related to each other, LOL.

Well I've come up with the Top 10 List .... which, between 3 judges, we'll come up with a name by Friday or Saturday morning at the latest. Here's the list. Is there a preference to one over the others from anyone out there? Want to take a guess to which one I might pick? Frankly I do have a preference to one of these but can I convince the other 2 judges it's the right choice?

The names are in no particular order ...

Keeping Ewe and Tea Cozy
New England Haven
I felt like tea cozy
Will ewe pour? teacozy
My Little Felt-Tea World cozy
Tea and Sheepathy
Locus Amoemus
Crafter's Paradise Tea Cozy
A Knitter's Dream Cozy
Be-EWE-TEA-ful PastoraliTea cozy

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Oh and by the way, I have another announcement ...

I got a note from a friend in New Hampshire that works for the Southern New Hampshire Services and they need donations of yarn. Would you like to clean out some of the unwanted, don't know what you would make with, or have no time for Yarn? If you like to donate knitted or crocheted items to worthy causes, but haven't the time to do the work ... help the Seniors do it for you! Donate yarn! NOTE: Also need patterns, knitting needles, and crochet hooks too.

BTW, they like Acrylic the best due to easy & multiple washings.


I plan to get together with Dee in April if anyone at M.I.T. or from Salem's Community Knitting group would like to send some yarn up with me I'll be happy to carry it along. I have some of my own to bring anyway. And remember the ladies knit and crochet for charities all year, so donate as often as you can.

Give Dee a call for pick up if you live in New England or send in your donation to ...

SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE SERVICES, INC.

The Community Action Agency for Hillsborough County

Dee Martin, Volunteer Services Director

40 Pine Street, Manchester, NH 03103

Telephone: (603) 668-8010 ext 6022 Fax: (603) 645-6734

dmartin (at) snhs (dot) org www.snhs.org


Who knew a skein of yarn could change the world?

In 2006, 84 RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) volunteers knitted over 3,000 goods such as hats, mittens, scarves, chemo hats, lap blankets and much more to be delivered to inner city schools, hospitals, nursing homes and the American Cancer Society. The total cash value was over $28,000, but the impact it made on the lives who needed help to stay warm was priceless.

Volunteers warm the hearts, hands and feet of many children and frail elders in the community. They are making a difference by knitting year round to keep up with the constant demand come the winter months.

Can you help these seniors change the world one stitch at a time?

We need skeins of yarn of all colors to keep these volunteer needles going. To donate yarn, please email dmartin (at) snhs (dot) org or call 1-800-322-1073 x 6022.

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If you write or call ... tell her that Rhonda the Stitchingnut sent you!
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Thanks for your help. Time to do my Spring Cleaning

(might take me a couple of weeks or more ... ask me why.)


p.s. don't pay any attention to the posting time ... I typed a draft early in the morning in order to post at Noon EST. ;-)

10 comments:

Dove Knits said...

Those are lovely colors, in that sock.

I'm trying to get into recycling/reusing. We're all about cloth rags over paper towels and cloth napkins over paper ones. We reuse plastic grocery bags for trash bags, packaging supplies, etc. Right now, though, that's about it. But it's a step.

Oh boy! I'm on the list!

Sara said...

First off, that sock is gorgeous! Is there a color number on that? I might be tempted to get it...

Did you hear that San Francisco has banned plastic bags at the grocery stores? One of our local stores sells great canvas bags...but, I was looking in my closet the other day - and I must have a ton of bags that came from book clubs and whatever that will work to grocery shop with...

So, I plan to use up what plastic bags I have left to load garbage in my small cans...and then not get anymore at the store...I wish they would come up with something better for large kitchen trash cans...

Also, I recycle glass and pepsi cans.

Sue J. said...

I'm currently using Trekking Pro Natura and like it very much. It is interesting that it's a mix of animal and plant fibers. Hadn't thought of that. I like your color very much. I envy your opportunity to knit on the train every day.

Shelley L. MacKenzie said...

I just read somewhere...online I think...that San Francisco is banning the use of all plastic bags. I think it said something like grocery stores have 6 or 8 months to stop using them, and drug stores have a year.

I just absolutely love the colour of your sock yarn your using! Can't wait to see the socks completed - they're going to look awesome!

Anonymous said...

I love the socks you have in the works now!
I'm so with you on the recycling thing! Actually, here in Austria recycling is mandatory since many years - we have lots of different trash bins and have to divide our trash into these - for ex "special" stuff like batteries and such, then biological trash, paper, glass - everything has to be taken into different containers. Of course there isn't a policeman next to every container checking if people really divide their trash, but for example in big apartment blocks, if the trash-men realize this doesn't work, the whole of the apartment block will get an awesome fine.
We've been living with that for, like, 20 years now and it's become a habit quickly - a habit that I think is very good, because this way there different variations of trash can easily be brought to recycling plants, don't have to be sorted through much and can be recycled - a good thing indeed.
Now, if we'd just do it like San Francisco with banning all the plastic bags, this would be another step in the right direction!

Tonni said...

I love your traveling socks. Makes me wish I could carpool to work with someone else driving, of course!

I would have a hard time choosing the name of your lovely tea cozy - I like Tea and Sheepathy :)

clothesknit said...

the traveling socks looks great! and ya know i don't own any acrylic. it's banned from house ;o) as for the cozy: tea and sheepathy.

jennhx said...

Yay for recycling! We've had mandatory recycling in Seattle for a while now, and just added optional composting citywide pick-up, which I'm really excited about. But the plastic bags... They are everywhere. I wonder about the paper bags too since trees are getting used up. I know they aren't as bad as petroleum bags, but still. I try to take my canvas bags whenever I shop, or have my backpack when I'm out running errands on foot. Double-YAY for Reducing and Reusing!!!

One thing I've noticed is that the grocery clerks at some stores are disgruntled when asked to pack groceries into canvas bags. Their plastic bag holders make it easy for them to bag the food. Stores need to develop systems so clerks can more easily load groceries into cloth bags.

Thanks for the recommendation for donating yarn - I have some acrylic I doubt I'll ever use, so it's good to learn of someplace that wants it.

-Jennifer

Anonymous said...

I was just wondering what I was going to do with those unloved balls of acrylic I just can't bring myself to knit up. I have turned into a yarn snob. I never thought it would happen to me.

What a great idea and a great way to do some spring cleaning.

HPNY KNITS said...

the tea cozy is a work of art!!! all the names are good, but
Tea and Sheepathy grabbed me.